A Christmas to Remember

 “For a child is born to us today.  He will be called the Prince of Peace." ~ Isaiah 9:6

All Aliyah knew was that she’d been abandoned near a police station.  She never knew her birth parents and never will. 

She suffered abandonment issues from that day, often dreaming about them coming to get her; waiting and thinking up rescue scenarios.  Each night she said a prayer that, wherever her Mom was, she was safe and had found peace in letting her baby go.

For the first 10 years, she was in and out of numerous neglectful, abusive or otherwise love-less foster homes.  Some memories will never leave.  

She spent 3 years with a lady who blew the monthly stipend from DCFS on her own kids while Aliyah ate maybe once a day, if lucky.  But the woman was generous with beatings; some bordering on torture (making her kneel on uncooked rice seemed a favorite of hers). 

 Aliyah grew up believing that exploitation and desertion were normal.  If the system was a teacher, then she was incredibly cruel.  

Some places were more like group homes where she shared a room with four or more other abandoned kids.  Some were nice.  Others acted out – physically, emotionally, even sexually.

Holidays just reminded her what she lost.  Once she even came into a new home the day before Christmas and expected to fit right in – to pretend that she liked all their holiday traditions.  They never stopped to think it was overwhelming, different or depressing for her.

Earlier this year, Jasmine and Terrell Williams entered her story.  They’d fostered more than a dozen children over the years.  But because there was no chance of Aliyah ever being reunited with her parents, the Williams’ felt a special love for her.

That had happened once before – a nice couple with two children her age.  But divorce separated them all.  Aliyah entered the foster merry-go-round once again. 

As they gathered around the Christmas tree, there was a knock at the door. 

“Aliyah – could you get the door please,” Terrell asked.

She opened the door to an old-fashioned Santa Claus holding an envelope in his outstretched mitten.  “This is for you Aliyah, from two people who really love you and that believe gifts should be of the heart.”

She opened the envelope and removed a simple card that read: “Merry Christmas Aliyah, if you’ll have us, we’d love to ADOPT you and complete our family.”  Signed Jasmine and Terrell

Beneath the frenetic calls of money, gifts and Christmas cheer, there’s a quietness that whispers of love as our truth.  When we invite the stillness in, there is a sense of thankfulness strong enough to greet storms and sunny days just the same.  Merry Christmas my friends!

God our Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the Angel’s song, the Shepherd’s wonder and the Wise Men’s worship.  Close the door of hate and open the door of love for all people.  May this morning bring us joy at being Your children and tonight bring sleep with grateful thoughts.  Amen 

Lessons from the Greatest Generation"

 “When I’m afraid for the future, I put my faith in You Lord." ~ Psalm 56:3

We’re about to lose one of America’s most precious resources. Not oil, gas or rare metals. What we’re about to lose is the living presence of those from the “Greatest Generation.” For many, COVID will be their last struggle. Some, like my Dad, won’t survive.

They grew up during the Great Depression and came of age during World War II.  That generation created the strongest consumer culture ever, set us on its path to world power and unparalleled prosperity. They did so with ingenuity and wisdom; but also grit, sacrifice, and humility.

Those who were lucky enough to have known and worked with them are better for it.

This is a different country than the U.S. of 1941, when there were only 133 million Americans, when Ted Williams batted .406, and “Pinocchio” graced the nation’s big screens. Today there are 325+ million more of us. We’re generally wealthier, communicate in ways unthinkable back then, and travel much farther from home. But we’re far less amiable toward sacrifice.

For kids like my Dad, adult responsibilities came early.  Many helped support their families by hustling papers, cleaning houses, and picking crops. They worked hard at whatever job was available, taking great pride in their work.

They viewed personal responsibility as an honor. Something bestowed upon them. Something to be cherished, respected, and grateful for. They accepted all consequences, whether good or bad; never whining or blaming. 

In that day, society held itself to a higher standard; humility and modesty were core values. They did it out of a sense of duty - whatever was best for family, community, and country.

If your parents were like mine, then their house was filled with stuff. Their pack-rat mentality grew from an earlier time when the next canister of flour or pair of shoes was never guaranteed. Their frugality enabled them to amass healthy savings even on limited incomes.

We were a much more religious nation back then. Believing in God helped those who struggled through the Depression and sustained soldiers fighting on distant battlefields. At home, millions prayed fervently for the safe return of loved ones in uniform. And if they did not return, families relied on God and their faith for the strength to bear the grief and continue living.

These times are shaping who we are today. The hardships, and lessons, are not all that different than they were nearly a century ago. Adversities should remind us of that which is truly important and the values we are quickly leaving behind ... values the Greatest Generation embodied.

If we do, there’s no reason why we, too, can’t achieve greatness in the eyes of future generations.

Almighty Father, we are living in trying and uncertain times.  Help us learn from our elders’ examples that sacrifice can be good for us, that discipline is required of us, that humility is essential for us, and that You will guide us.  Amen

The Prodigals

 “There’s no other god like You, forgiving our sins and showing us your constant love." ~ Micah 7:18

Chloe, an otherwise healthy 24-year-old female with no past medical history, grew tired of the COVID pandemic; weary of the monotony, frustrated about complying with overly-restrictive guidelines, and hopeless - as if nothing could keep her safe from exposure anyway.

Tired, worried and lonely, she bought a ticket to St. Thomas and headed south - reasoning that the hotel would be mostly empty and reassuringly clean.  Surely the virus transmission rate had to be lower than Michigan. (In fact, the coronavirus infection rate in St. Thomas had been steadily climbing; Chloe’s risk of catching it grew rapidly during her stay.)

After four glorious days of sun, fun and what only can be described as excessive partying, Chloe returned home.  During the week that followed, the critical period of potential transmission, Chloe went on shopping trips and met up with friends; social distancing be damned!

Then it hit.  Fast … fierce … vicious! 

It began with fever, fatigue, and joint pain.  Probably just a bad case of the flu, she mistakenly thought.   When the malaise got worse, chest tightness confirmed that it could be nothing else.   COVID-19!

She imagined vulnerable relatives and friends and relatives dying and never forgiving herself.  Work colleagues shamed her for being so selfish.  Friends quickly distanced themselves; they were scared too.

The illness marched on; every day a new surprise.  Headaches, upset stomach, dizziness.  She thought she must be dying; maybe even wished she was.

Her Dad phoned.  “Chloe, please come home, we’ll care for you here safely,” he pleaded.

On her trip homeward, she rehearsed the speech she prepared for her father: “Dad, I’m so sorry.  Can you forgive me?”  Her throat constricted more with each word.

Tiny snowflakes hit the pavement as worn tires approached the childhood home she hadn’t seen in years.  Of the dozens of scenes that’d played out in her mind, none prepared her for what she saw. 

There, on the front porch stood her father, mother and twin brothers. A banner taped across the front of the house read, “Welcome Home!”

She sobbed.  Chole’s Dad accepted her before words ever left her mouth.

Of course, she had been wastefully extravagant, but her father was more lavishly excessive with his grace, mercy, and forgiving.

In many ways, we are all like Chloe.  We stray from God’s presence when we grow weary in our faith; being pulled by the world to embrace its destructive ways.  We lose sight of our Father because we’re full of ourselves.

Thankfully, He is a sovereign God.  His relentless pursuit is greater than our ability to wander; forgiving us as if nothing happened.  He embraces us as if we’re not flawed and untidy, and sees our value when we deem ourselves worthless.

Thank You Father, for giving us Your only Son who loved us enough to come to earth and experience the worst pain imaginable so we could be forgiven. Your mercy flows to us in spite of our many faults and failures.  Amen

"And When I Die"

 “You were created in God’s glory and for sharing His love." ~ Isaiah 43:7

The day will come when I will lie utterly still, eyes open but unfocussed, staring into oblivion.  My body will rest upon a soft white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a thin mattress located in a hospital hosted by those living and dying.  At some point, a doctor will conclude that my brain has stopped functioning.  Essentially my life on earth has ended.

My soul will be recalled to our Heavenly Father; what’s left is simply parts and tissue.  The Bible doesn’t give many details about what happens next.  But it’s safe to say that we’ll enter a reality far beyond our comprehension.

So, don’t worry about me.  Death is only the end of one chapter I hope.

When that time comes, don’t implant artificial life into my body by the use of machines.  Let my body be used to help others lead fuller, deeper, richer lives.

Give my heart to a person whose own ticker lacked compassion and kindness.  Help them aim for a fresh start – at seeing the innocence in children; at listening with all his senses, at using his God-given talents for worthy purposes.

Give my sight to the woman who has never seen a sunrise, a puppy’s yearning, or the brilliance of fireworks on the 4^th of July.  Let her see every moment with eagerness; filled with wonder.

Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from his car’s wreckage, so that he might live to show others the suffering associated with impaired driving.  Donate my kidneys to someone who depends on dialysis for survival.  Take my bones, all muscle, and every nerve in my body.  Find a way to make a child with special needs walk.

Give my skin to the mother suffering the excruciating pain of burns from a house fire.  Help my tissue provide a temporary wound dressing until her own skin can heal.  Give her a broad smile that exudes confidence, enthusiasm, and authenticity.

Explore every corner of my brain.  Cultivate any useful cells so that: someday a boy without speech will cheer at the crack of a bat; a girl with a hearing loss will hear the gentle sound of rain on her window; they can be genetically modified to recognize and kill cancer cells.

Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow.  If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all prejudice against other human beings.

If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you.  If you do all I have asked, my spirit will watch over you and I will live in your heart forever.

God of health and healing, You taught us that death can never end our story, for we are blessed to be a blessing; Your grace is our delight.  Thank You for those who have made the decision that, in death, life must be shared.  Amen

The Kindness Café

           "Love is patient, love is kind.  It doesn’t envy, never boasts, nor is it proud." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4

Among the country’s familiar debt difficulties, Greece has an epidemic of abandoned dogs.  The Greek Isles are home to over a million strays (1 for every 11 residents).  More than 800,000 refugees from Syria and other Middle East nations have crossed into Greece via the Aegean Sea.  Most have passed through the small island of Lesvos, due to its proximity to the Turkish shore.

With refugees flooding the area, resources are stretched thin.  Yet compassion towards people as well as animals has created a solidarity of kindness among Lesvos’ inhabitants.

A local resident was passing the Hott Spott Café in Ledvos’ capital, Mytilene, one night when he noticed something remarkable.  Lit by the lights of a Christmas tree, 4 stray dogs were sleeping on the warm benches of the empty eatery.

As a waiter later explained, with widespread unemployment in Greece, many people can’t afford to feed their pets.  We couldn’t bear to see them shivering during cold nights alone at Christmas, so we let them in.  Though the café bar closes to people at 3 a.m., homeless hounds are more than welcome after hours.

Not a night goes by anymore without canines on the couches.

Customers don't seem to mind, even offering some love and attention to pups near closing.  No doubt a treat or two also finds its way into a hungry mouth.

It only took this one simple kind act to change the lives of the sweet dogs who come to the Café at night, where they now matter to someone.

Such random acts of generosity toward animals isn’t uncommon in Greece.  Despite being without a permanent home or family, animals are often cared for by the community - an alternative to putting them into crowded shelters.  It’s like the entire country of Greece is a no-kill shelter.

While it may not be possible to open your home to every stray pet in need, an open heart can be just as accommodating.  The Quaker author, Parker Palmer once wrote: “Committing acts of kindness shows us the power that we have over ourselves and our choices; and whether this world is a cruel or wondrous place to live.”

I’d add that they also bring us closer to God.

Our animals do have important roles in helping us to become more human.  And, one of the best ways to teach children about empathy is by helping them learn about treating animals well.  Each kind act helps us too, become the people we were meant to be.  

Fill your day and your life with acts of kindness then.  Let them flow from your soul.  Let them warm your heart and lead you to love.

Lord of Creation, bless all Your animals and let our care for them be a reflection of Your loving nature.  Thank You for all the beauty and wonder in creation; especially for this expression of Your love.  Amen

Better With Age

 “God has plans to bring about the future you hope for." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

When Carly, a rookie reporter, had been assigned a newspaper piece on aging, her boss suggested she interview Jack, a Depression-era, nonagenarian who’d served in WWII.  She cringed at the thought; rescheduling it several times and hoping it would eventually be forgotten.  No such luck!

As she entered the Nursing Home, she imagined an old man with memories as cloudy as his eyes.  What could she possibly learn from a lifetime of happy mediocrity now tinged with loneliness?

Carl greeted her with a welcoming smile.  His eyes seemed eager to share a story of laughter, of joy and affection.  Carly would soon learn that Jack was so much more!

“I consider myself a sen-ager,” he began without prompting. “I have everything I ever wanted as a teenager, only seven decades later.  I don’t have to go to school or work.  I have my own pad.  And I don’t have acne.  Life’s good!”

When Carly failed to laugh, Jack continued.

“People my age don’t have many role models on aging elegantly because few live this long,” he continued.  “So, I’m still learning how to do this.”

Slight chuckle. 

“Nowadays, everything happens at the speed of youth.  Whether it’s cell phones, songs, or movies, only the newest models and latest releases seem to matter.  If it’s been around for a while, it’s probably lost much of its value.  Same with people.”

His smile was engaging, she thought.

“We tend to associate getting older with a decline in beauty, vitality and appeal.  But aging done well has the potential to be an enjoyable, inspiring upgrade of self.”

“Done right, age brings wisdom, maturity and insight.  With age comes experience, discernment and perspective.  We become more empathetic.  We develop the compassion to fully know and love others, and the confidence to relax into our best attributes.”

“When you suddenly realize that you are, in fact, getting older, it’s still possible to age gracefully from there on out.  All it takes is smart choices, well-directed energy and a desire for self-renewal.”

“And when you shift your focus to what can be learned and created, you’ll gain a sense of hope and excitement.  If you tell me I’m going to live to be 120, I’d be worried that it’s not enough time.  I’m excited about deepening my relationships with my family, deepening my spirituality and writing my family histories.”

As Carly left her interview with Jack, she suddenly realized why her Editor had given her this assignment.   Sometimes, we become so consumed with our current stage in life that we think that’s all there is.  Especially if we are going through a trying time, it’s good to know that life is so much bigger than our current circumstances.  Just ask Jack!

Loving God, let us all pause to ask and then rely upon the wisdom of our elders.  Give them encouragement to apply their age advantage and to stay engaged enough to pass along their knowledge and their legacy of understanding.  Amen